Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Chrysanthemumxc3x97morifolium cultivar Greenspan.
The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemumxc3x97morifolium and referred to by the name xe2x80x98Greenspanxe2x80x99.
The new Chrysanthemum is the product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Hensbroek, The Netherlands. The new Chrysanthemum originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor on Nov. 23, 1999, in Hensbroek, The Netherlands, of a proprietary selection of Chrysanthemum identified as code number 5003.26, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary Chrysanthemum selection identified as code number 97.174.03, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Chrysanthemum was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Hensbroek, The Netherlands.
Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysanthemum by terminal cuttings in Hensbroek, The Netherlands since April, 2000, has shown that the unique features of this new Chrysanthemum are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
The cultivar Greenspan has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Greenspanxe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Greenspanxe2x80x99 as a new and distinct cultivar:
1. Decorative type inflorescences with white and green-colored ray florets; typically grown as a spray type.
2. Strong and upright flowering stems.
3. Freely flowering habit.
4. Early flowering response.
5. Good postproduction longevity.
Compared to plants of the female parent selection, plants of the new Chrysanthemum grow faster, have smaller leaves, are more freely flowering, and have fewer ray florets per inflorescence. In addition, plants of the new Chrysanthemum and the female parent selection differ in ray floret coloration as plants of the female parent have yellow-colored ray florets.
Compared to plants of the male parent selection, plants of the new Chrysanthemum grow faster, have larger inflorescences, and differ in inflorescence form. In addition, plants of the new Chrysanthemum and the male parent selection differ in ray floret coloration as plants of the male parent have yellow green-colored ray florets.
Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of the Chrysanthemum cultivar Leonardo, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Hensbroek, The Netherlands, plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of the cultivar Leonardo in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum grew faster than plants of the cultivar Leonardo.
2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were more freely flowering than plants of the cultivar Leonardo.
3. Plants of the cultivar Leonardo had green-colored ray florets than plants of the new Chrysanthemum.